This photo is 'not' Kitty Leroy

Born in Texas, she was among the best women gamblers in the west. Her career as a performer began at the age of ten, and by the age of 20 was the toast of Dallas. She eventually gave up dancing to become a faro dealer. Kitty's skills at dealing and shooting became legendary. She never went to the faro tables without several bowie knives and revolvers on her person, and she was noted for stopping arguments with deftly placed near misses.

This tall blond Swedish Nina who dressed as a man at times drove the men crazy with her extravagant gypsy-like attire and very large diamond earrings.

She married five times, selecting the first husband because he was the only man in town with the nerve to let her shoot apples off his head as she galloped by on a horse. She eventually left her husband to pursue her dream as a saloon performer. Her adventure took her to Texas and California. While in Texas she acquired a male companion and one source indicates she abandoned the young son of her first marriage.

Kitty's third marriage appeared to be the result of her guilty conscience. She shot a man she considered too ardent in his attentions, and then married him several hours before he died of his wounds.

In 1876 Kitty moved to Deadwood in the Dakota Territory and opened the Mint Gambling Saloon. There she met her fourth victim, a German prospector who made a gold strike and Kitty made her move. The gold vein petered out and Kitty's interest died alone with the vein. She took husband four for over $8,000.00 in gold then clubbed him over the head with a bottle and booted him out into the cold.

Husband number five followed shortly. His name has been given as both Samuel R. Curley and Samuel Hurley. Regardless, they met and married on June 11, 1877. While away to Denver husband and received word that Kitty had rekindled a regular " unpaid " relationship with ex-husband number 3. Returning from his trip on December 7, 1877 Hurley first sought out and challenged him to a duel but and declined. Hurley next went looking for Kitty. He found her at the Lone Star Saloon, in the room she rented on the floor above the dance hall. After a brief argument he pulled his gun and shot Kitty then himself. They both died where they fell. Kitty was just 28 years old.